Plug valve assembly for fluid product dispenser having retaining ring supporting a propellant cartridge

ABSTRACT

A plug valve assembly for dispensers of fluid products adapted to be attached to a product container for containing the fluid product to be dispensed and adapted to accommodate a propellant cartridge within the product container, said plug valve assembly comprising a hollow valve stem, a pushbutton actuator on the upper end of said stem and having a nozzle therein communicating with said hollow stem, a cap member adapted to fit over a product container and having an aperture therein through which the hollow stem is movable, a support secured to the underside of said cap and having a hollow central portion through which said hollow stem is movable, a dip tube secured in said support and opening into said hollow interior, a fluid product flow path through said hollow stem exteriorly of the hollow thereof from a point adjacent said hollow interior, a first flexible gasket means in said assembly through which said hollow stem passes obturating said fluid product flow path between said fluid product flow path and said hollow interior, said support having a downwardly open recess therein, a second flexible gasket means in the bottom of said recess through which said hollow stem passes, said hollow stem having an aperture therein opening into the hollow of the stem, said aperture being obturated by said second flexible gasket means, and a retaining ring holding said second gasket means in said recess and secured to said support, and a propellant cartridge in gastight relationship to said retaining ring.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Jean Marand Poitiers, France; Charles D. Chambers. Huntington, Conn. [21] Appl. No 830,198 122] Filed May 22, 1969 [45] Patented June I, 1971 [73] Assignee Geigy Chemical Corporation Ardsley, N.Y. [32] Priority Sept. 19, 1967 [33] France [31 1 121,423

Continuation of application Ser. No. 716,129, Mar. 26, 1968, now abandoned.

[54] PLUG VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR FLUID PRODUCT DISPENSER HAVING RETAINING RING SUPPORTING A PROPELLANT CARTRIDGE 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 222/193, 239/308 [51] Int. Cl B67d 5/14 [50] Field of Search 222/193, 394, 94; 239/307, 308

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,289,949 12/1966 Roth 222/394X 3,389 837 6/1968 Marand 239/308X 3,401,844 9/1968 Hanson, Jr... 239/307X 3,469,744 9/1969 Corsette 222/193 Primary ExaminerSamuel F. Coleman Assistant Examiner-H. S. Lane Azt0rneyWenderoth, Lind & Ponack ABSTRACT: A plug valve assembly for dispensers of fluid products adapted to be attached to a product container for containing the fluid product to be dispensed and adapted to accommodate a propellant cartridge within the product container, said plug valve assembly comprising a hollow valve stem, a pushbutton actuator on the upper end of said stem and having a nozzle therein communicating with said hollow stem, a cap member adapted to fit over a product container and having an aperture therein through which the hollow stem is movable, a support secured to the underside of said cap and having a hollow central portion through which said hollow stem is movable, a dip tube secured in said support and opening into said hollow interior, a fluid product flow path through said hollow stem exteriorly of the hollow thereof from a point adjacent said hollow interior, a first flexible gasket means in said assembly through which said hollow stem passes obturating said fluid product flow path between said fluid product flow path and said hollow interior, said support having a downwardly open recess therein, a second flexible gasket means in the bottom of said recess through which said hollow stem passes, said hollow stem having an aperture therein opening into the hollow of the stem, said aperture being obturated by said second flexible gasket means, and a retaining ring holding said second gasket means in said recess and secured to said support, and a propellant cartridge in gastight relationship to said retaining ring.

PATENTEI] JUN 1 I971 FIGJ SHEET 1 BF 3 INVENTORS JEAN MARAN D CHARLES D- CHAMBERS ATTORNEYS PATENTEB JUN 1 I971 SHEET 2 [IF 3 FIGS INVENTORS JbAN MARAN D CHARLES D.CHAMBERS ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUN 1 I97! SHEET 3 0F 3 97 F IG 6 INVENTORS JEAN MARAND 43 CHARLES D.CHAMBERS ATTORNEYS PLUG VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR FLUID PRODUCT DISPENSER HAVING RETAINING RING SUPPORTING A PROPELLANT CARTRIDGE ring, the retaining ring being secured to the assembly, and a propellant cartridge in gastight relationship to said retaining ring.

Copending Pat. application Ser. No. 686,009 filed Nov. 27, 1967 now Pat. No. 3,451,596 described a pushbutton dispenser for dispensing a fluent product constituting an active agent in fractional amounts and in a spray, by means of a propellant gas under pressure held in a propellant cartridge placed inside the product container which contains said fluent product and which is carried on said support, which support is integral with a cover which seals off the aforementioned product container. According to said application, this integral support and cover contains a high pressure obturating means for the propellant cartridge and a low pressure obturating means controlling respectively the passage of the product from the container to the pushbutton spray nozzle and the passage of air from the outside to the inside of the product container. A stem which conducts the propellant and the product in 'the direction of the spray nozzle is slidably mounted in said support and controls the aforementioned obturating means. This dispenser has the high pressure obturator mounted in the bottom of the support and held therein by a retaining ring.

It is an object of this invention to provide improvements in dispensers of the above described type and is directed more particularly to the manner of mounting the high pressure obturator in the support and the fastening of the propellant cartridge onto the support.

According to one embodiment of the high pressure obturator retaining means, the high pressure obturator is positioned in a recess in the support which opens toward the propellant cartridge, said obturator being held in said recess by means of a retaining ring member which also forms part of the closure for said propellant cartridge.

This arrangement has a simplified structure and mounting and increases the tightness of the assembly of the support and propellant cartridge.

According to a preferred embodiment, the retaining ring member consists of a separate annular part which is forced into a recess in the support and has a downwardly and outwardly extending portion positioned between the support and the collar of the propellant cartridge.

According to another embodiment, also of interest because of the reduced number of parts that it makes possible, the retaining ring is an integral part of the propellant cartridge collar, which can either be secured to an annular flange on the support or cemented or soldered onto said support. The choice of the method of fastening depends on the nature of the material of which the parts are made, i.e. metal or plastic.

Other objects of the present invention will be brought out in the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is an axial sectional view of the upper part of one embodiment of a dispenser according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are axial sectional views of further embodiments.

Referringto FIG. 1 of the attached drawings, the integral product container cover and support for a dispenser according to the invention'has a cover 1 made, for example, of plastic material, to which support 2 is attached, these parts mutually abutting each other at a joint 3 where they fit together and hold therebetween a flexible annular low pressure sealing gasket 4 which is the low pressure obturator for the active agent and the low pressure obturator for the admission of air to the product container from the outside. Parts I and 2 may be attached to each other, for example, by ultrasonic welding.

Cover 1 has a central opening 5 and support 2 has an axial valve cup 6 therein, which opening and valve cup are traversed during the axial stroke of valve stem 7 connected to a valve actuator in the form of a pushbutton 8 containing a nozzle insert 9 having a venturi-type spray nozzle therein. Nozzle insert 9 is set into cavity 11 in the head of pushbutton 8. An aperture 12 defined by shoulder 16 is provided between valve cup 6 and a diverging recess 13 in the base of support 2.

The high pressure obturator is in the form of an annular flexible gasket 15 mounted in the inner end a downwardly opening recess 65 in support 2. The aperture 12 from the valve cup 6 opens into recess 65 which in turn opens into recess 13. Gasket 15 is held in recess 65 by a retaining ring 66. The latter is an independent member in the shape of a truncated cone and has a central aperture 67 through which the cone-shaped head 18 of valve stem 7 extends.

Valve stem 7 is made in one piece, for example by molding, and has an axial channel 17 with the conical head 18 closing one end thereof. The valve stem 7 extends through aperture 12 to permit the passage of the propellant therethrough. Radial apertures 19 in the wall of valve stem 7 adjacent the head 18 are closed when the valve stem is in the undepressed condition by the flexible lip gasket IS, the center opening of which is closed by head 18. A shoulder is formed on the upper edge of the retaining ring 66 which bears on gasket 15.

Retaining ring 66 which holds gasket 15 in place has a shoulder which is force-fitted into a cylindrical cavity 70 defined at the lower end of support 2 by an annular flange 68. At the lower end of retaining ring 66 is a flange 71 seated against the lower edge of annular flange 68 and held between flange 68 and collar 69 of propellant cartridge 43. The terminal portion of the propellant cartridge is bent so as to fit closely to the contour of annular flange 68 and flange 71 on ring 66. The retaining ring 66 is preferably made of a sufficiently flexible material so that by providing flange 71 within collar 69 there is a tight connection between propellant cartridge 43 and support 2. Furthermore, the retaining ring can also be made of a material which has a proper tightness with respect to the propellant contained in propellant cartridge 43. This prevents leaks as a result of permeability through the material of support 2.

It can be seen that the assembly of such a unit is rapid and easy and that parts such as support 2 and retaining ring 66 can easily be manufactured by plastic molding.

At the upper end, i.e. the end opposite the head 7, the valve stem 7 also has, around channel 17, an annular ring of longitudinal channels 21. An outer wall 22, which depends from pushbutton 8, covers the channels 21.

According to another improvement provided by this invention, the outer surface of valve stem 7 has a set of longitudinal fins 72 (FIG. 2). The outer wall 22 has apertures 23 therein adjacent a flange 24 which is positioned within valve cup 6 beneath gasket 4 with respect to the opening 5. The edges of apertures 23 extend obliquely to form shoulders, and the annular inner edge of gasket 4 engages under the shoulders adjacent apertures 23.

Flange 24 is urged upwardly by a spring 25 around valve stem 7 and which is positioned between flange 24 and the bottom of cup 6. This spring acts to press the flange 24 upwardly so that the flexible lip of gasket 4 is held between a truncated cone-shaped surface 26 on flange 24, cambercd as shown in FIG. 1, and an annular projection 28 around the edge of opening 5 in cover 1. This provides a tight closure of valve cup 6 with respect to opening 5.

Pushbutton 8, which caps valve stem 7, has two coaxial sockets at the base thereof: an outer socket 73, defined by depending wall 22 and which fits tightly around valve stem 7, and an inner socket 74, which receives the tapered end 75 of propellant channel 17. The extent to which sockets 73 and 74 can be forced along valve stem 7 is limited by an annular shoulder 76 at the base offins 72 defining channels 21 The surface 78 of said flange opposite gasket 4 1s straight and serves as a support for spring 25. but this surface also serves as a movable stop for the pushbutton assembly. Fixed radial stops 82 are provided inside cup 6. If pushbutton 8 is pushed in too far, its travel IS limited by the contact of surface 78 with stops 82.

lnto valve cup 6 opens the upper end of dip tube 29, forcefitted in a bore 31 in support 2 and which is for the passage of the active agent.

When valve stem 7 is in the undepressed position, a tight closure is also insured between opening which communicates with the outside atmosphere as a result of a clearance provided for the sliding movement of the valve stem and the space under the cover I which is in communication with the upper surface of gasket 4 through at least one radial channel 32 in the lower face of the downwardly depending portion from cover 1.

When valve stem 7 is in this position, the lip of gasket is pushed by the head 18 of the atomizer against shoulder 16, closing apertures 19 in such a way that a tight closure is insured between aperture 12 and axial channel 17.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, ring 83, provided for gasket 15, is integral with the collar of propellant cartridge 43. The propellant cartridge is a metal container. This container has a separate bottom part 84 fastened to the body portion by annular soldering. This is a simpler method of assembling the cartridge than soldering a collar onto the body portion. To fasten the cartridge to the support 2, ring 83 is provided with an integral collar which is bent over the end of annular flange 68 depending from support 2. It will be noted that in this application, the assembly consisting of the body and propellant cartridge only has three parts.

Different arrangements can be provided for connecting the collar of propellant cartridge 43 to support 2. Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the top portion 87 of cartridge 43 is bent back on itself so as to form a double wall collar 88 defining an annular opening 89 in which the end of flange 68 is held. From collar 88 a conical retaining ring 91 extends to recess 13 in support 2 and the upper end of the ring 91 holds gasket 15 in place.

Another arrangement is shown in FIG. 5 in which the gasket 15 is held in place by a double wall retaining ring 94 formed by doubling collar 95 of cartridge 43 back on itself. The end 89 of the outer wall of double ring 94 is bent over annular flange 68 on support 2 to fasten the cartridge 43 to support 2.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, collar 95 on propellant cartridge 43 is made of a plastic material impervious to the propellant, and the body of said propellant cartridge is made of the same material soldered or welded together along ajoint 96. Collar 95 has a shape similar to retaining ring 66 in the embodiment of FIG. 1. It also has the cylindrical shoulder 96 which is force-fitted into recess 70 defined by flange 68. A rim 97 is provided adjacent shoulder 96 at which collar 95 and support 2 are welded together, for example by means of ultrasonic welding. Using a propellant cartridge made of plastic material solves the problem of corrosion of the cartridge 43 either by the propellant or by the product in the outer container.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

We claim:

1. A plug valve assembly for dispensers of fluid products adapted to be attached to a product container for containing the fluid product to be dispensed and adapted to accommodate a propellant cartridge within the product container,

said plug valve assembly comprising a hollow valve stem, a pushbutton actuator on the upper end of said stern and having a nozzle therein communicating with said hollow stem, a cap member adapted to fit over a product container and having an aperture therein through which the hollow stem is movable, a support secured to the underside of said cap and having a hollow central portion through which said hollow stem is movable, a dip tube secured in said support and opening into said hollow interior, a fluid product flow path through said hollow stem exteriorly of the hollow thereof from a point adjacent said hollow interior, a first flexible gasket means in said assembly through which said hollow stem passes obturating said fluid product flow path between said fluid product flow path and said hollow interior, said support having a downwardly open recess therein, a second flexible gasket means in the inner end of said recess through which said hollow stern passes, said hollow stem having an aperture therein opening into the hollow of the stem, said aperture being obturated by said second flexible gasket means, and a retaining ring of more rigid material than said second flexible gasket and extending into said recess from below and holding said second gasket means in said recess and being secured to said support at a portion of said support around and outside of said recess, and a propellant cartridge in gastight relationship with said retaining ring.

2. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon defining a cylindrical cavity on the bottom of said support, said retaining ring having a shoulder thereon secured in said cavity, said cartridge having a collar thereon fitted tightly over the lower edge of said flange and holding the lower edge of said retaining ring between said cartridge and the lower edge of said flange in a gastight engagement.

3. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon, and said retaining ring is integral with said cartridge, said cartridge having the wall thereof doubled over at the top thereof to form a collar, the collar being secured around said depending flange for securing said cartridge to said retaining ring and support, the wall being extended from said doubled over portion to said sealing gasket to form said retaining ring.

4. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon, said cartridge having the wall thereof doubled over at the top and bent inwardly to form a double wall retaining ring, the outer wall having the end bent over the end of said depending flange for securing said cartridge to said support.

5. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon defining a cylindrical cavity on the bottom of said support, said retaining ring having a shoulder thereon positioned in said cavity, said retaining ring having a rim adjacent said shoulder, the end of said depending flange being secured to said rim for securing said retaining ring to said support, said cartridge being secured to the lower edge of said retaining ring.

6. In an aerosol-type dispenser, the combination comprising a hollow valve stem, a pushbutton actuator on the upper end of said stem and having a nozzle therein communicating with said hollow stem, a support having a hollow central portion through which said hollow stem is movable, said support having a downwardly open recess therein, a flexible gasket means in the inner end of said recess through which said hollow stem passes, said hollow stem having an aperture therein opening into the hollow of the stem, said apertu e being obturated by said flexible gasket means, a retaining ring holding of more rigid material than said second flexible gasket and extending into said recess from below and said gasket means in said recess and being secured to said support at a portion of said support around and outside of said recess, and a container connected in gastight relationship with said retaining ring.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon, and said retaining ring is integral with said container, said container having the wall thereof doubled over at the top thereof to form a collar, the collar being secured around said depending flange for securing said container to said retaining ring and support, the wall being extended from said doubled over portion to said sealing gasket to form said retaining ring. 

1. A plug valve assembly for dispensers of fluid products adapted to be attached to a product container for containing the fluid product to be dispensed and adapted to accommodate a propellant cartridge within the product container, said plug valve assembly comprising a hollow valve stem, a pushbutton actuator on the upper end of said stem and having a nozzle therein communicating with said hollow stem, a cap member adapted to fit over a product container and having an aperture therein through which the hollow stem is movable, a support secured to the underside of said cap and having a hollow central portion through which said hollow stem is movable, a dip tube secured in said support and opening into said hollow interior, a fluid product flow path through said hollow stem exteriorly of the hollow thereof from a point adjacent said hollow interior, a first flexible gasket means in said assembly through which said hollow stem passes obturating said fluid product flow path between said fluid product flow path and said hollow interior, said support having a downwardly open recess therein, a second flexible gasket means in the inner end of said recess through which said hollow stem passes, said hollow stem having an aperture therein opening into the hollow of the stem, said aperture being obturated by said second flexible gasket means, and a retaining ring of more rigid material than said second flexible gasket and extending into said recess from below and holding said second gasket means in said recess and being secured to said support at a portion of said support around and outside of said recess, and a propellant cartridge in gastight relationship with said retaining ring.
 2. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claIm 1 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon defining a cylindrical cavity on the bottom of said support, said retaining ring having a shoulder thereon secured in said cavity, said cartridge having a collar thereon fitted tightly over the lower edge of said flange and holding the lower edge of said retaining ring between said cartridge and the lower edge of said flange in a gastight engagement.
 3. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon, and said retaining ring is integral with said cartridge, said cartridge having the wall thereof doubled over at the top thereof to form a collar, the collar being secured around said depending flange for securing said cartridge to said retaining ring and support, the wall being extended from said doubled over portion to said sealing gasket to form said retaining ring.
 4. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon, said cartridge having the wall thereof doubled over at the top and bent inwardly to form a double wall retaining ring, the outer wall having the end bent over the end of said depending flange for securing said cartridge to said support.
 5. A plug valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon defining a cylindrical cavity on the bottom of said support, said retaining ring having a shoulder thereon positioned in said cavity, said retaining ring having a rim adjacent said shoulder, the end of said depending flange being secured to said rim for securing said retaining ring to said support, said cartridge being secured to the lower edge of said retaining ring.
 6. In an aerosol-type dispenser, the combination comprising a hollow valve stem, a pushbutton actuator on the upper end of said stem and having a nozzle therein communicating with said hollow stem, a support having a hollow central portion through which said hollow stem is movable, said support having a downwardly open recess therein, a flexible gasket means in the inner end of said recess through which said hollow stem passes, said hollow stem having an aperture therein opening into the hollow of the stem, said aperture being obturated by said flexible gasket means, a retaining ring holding of more rigid material than said second flexible gasket and extending into said recess from below and said gasket means in said recess and being secured to said support at a portion of said support around and outside of said recess, and a container connected in gastight relationship with said retaining ring.
 7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which said support has a downwardly depending flange thereon, and said retaining ring is integral with said container, said container having the wall thereof doubled over at the top thereof to form a collar, the collar being secured around said depending flange for securing said container to said retaining ring and support, the wall being extended from said doubled over portion to said sealing gasket to form said retaining ring. 